The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals
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| Author | Charles Darwin |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Evolutionary theory human behaviour |
| Publisher | John Murray |
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Publication date
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1872 |
The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals is Charles Darwin's third major work of evolutionary theory, following On The Origin of Species (1859) and The Descent of Man (1871). Originally intended as a section of The Descent of Man, it was published separately in 1872 and concerns the biological aspects of emotional life. In this book, Darwin sets out some early concepts of behavioural genetics, and explores the origins of such human characteristics as the lifting of the eyebrows in moments of surprise and the mental confusion which typically accompanies blushing. A German translation of The Expression appeared in 1872; Dutch and French translations followed in 1873 and 1874. A second edition of the book was published in 1890.
Before Darwin, human emotional life had posed problems to the traditional philosophical categories of mind and body. Darwin's biological approach links mental states to the neurological organization of movement and he allows cultural factors only an auxiliary role in the shaping of expression. Darwin's interest can be traced to his time as a medical student and the 1824 publication of Sir Charles Bell's Anatomy and Philosophy of Expression which argued for a spiritual dimension to the subject. Darwin sought out the opinions of some leading British psychiatrists, notably James Crichton-Browne, in the preparation of the book which forms his main contribution to psychology.
Amongst the innovations with this book are Darwin's circulation of a questionnaire (probably inspired by his cousin, Francis Galton) in his preparatory research; simple psychology experiments on emotional recognition with his friends and family; and (borrowing from Duchenne de Boulogne, a physician at the Salpêtrière) the use of photographs in his presentation of scientific information. The Expression of the Emotions is an important landmark in the history of book illustration.
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